Is it really true that runners should do yoga? Is “yoga for runners” really a thing?
I’ve been practicing yoga for a couple of years now and I can wholeheartedly say yes! Yoga is a great complement to running and it has become one of my favorite ways to stay fit and in control of my health and well-being.
Today I’m sharing the benefits of yoga for runners with a special interview with CorePower Yoga! CorePower Yoga is a great studio with locations all around the country, and they have been recently opened new locations in the Greater Philadelphia Area including North Wales, PA and Cherry Hill, NJ. If you’ve been curious about exactly how yoga can make you a stronger runner, check out the Q&A below!
I’m linking up with Ilka and Angela for Sunday Fitness and Food, Susie, Debbie, Lora, and Rachel for the Running Coaches Corner and Annmarie, Nicole, Jen, and Michelle for Wild Workout Wednesday!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
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Yoga for Runners: Q&A with CorePower Yoga
CorePower Yoga reached out to me to check out their studio back in December and I was able to take classes at their Center City and North Wales locations. I had a really great experience! The studio has a wide variety of course offerings including:
- CorePower Yoga 1 – foundation-building yoga class, unheated
- CorePower Yoga 1.5 – transition from C1 to C2, 88-91 degrees
- CorePower Yoga 2 – signature yoga class, 95-98 degrees
- CorePower Yoga 3 – high-intensity yoga, 95-98 degrees
- Yoga Sculpt – yoga with strength training and cardio, 92-95 degrees
- CoreCardio Circuit – strength training with HIIT, unheated
- Hot Power Fusion – works balance, core strengthening, and flexibility at 100-103 degrees
- Hot Yoga – 102-104 degrees
- Core Restore – unheated, beginner-friendly
I had the opportunity to interview Matt, manager of the English Village location of CorePower Yoga. Even though I practice yoga at least twice a week on average, I still had so many questions about yoga for runners. Check out our Q&A below!
Why should runners add yoga to their fitness regimen?
- Yoga has many physical and mental benefits for runners. Physically, yoga releases tension in muscles and builds strength and flexibility. This can help reduce the risk of common running injuries, including shin splints, tight hips, low back pain, etc. CorePower Yoga classes, specifically, are physically intense and focus on building core strength, which will help strengthen other areas of the body. Mentally, yoga can help runners reduce stress, increase focus on breath and introduce a full mind-body awareness.
- A typical runner experiences muscle rigidity because most train in a sport specific manner that creates an overuse action and their focus is on an external technique. The repetitive training or any specific fitness conditioning results in a structurally excessively tight body. Yoga benefits the internal focus and centers your attention on your own body’s movements rather than an external outcome. Runners can use a yoga practice to increase balance and range of motion. Yoga can train the body and mind through asana (postures) while teaching you how to coordinate the breath with each subtle movement, allowing the body, mind, and breath become integrated in all actions.
How often should a runner incorporate yoga into their workout routine?
- If you ask me, EVERYDAY!! But you can see a noticeable difference in running performance with a consistent practice of at least 3 times a week.
- CorePower Yoga has different offerings from Vinyasa to yoga with weights. It all depends on what your mind/body/energy needs that day.
There are several different types of yoga practices: vinyasa, hatha, yin, etc. Which style is best for runners?
- All types of yoga classes can be beneficial for runners. A CorePower Yoga vinyasa class can help runners increase flexibility and mobility. Hot Power Fusion is a great one to relieve tired muscles. And, CorePower’s unique Yoga Sculpt class can help runners build strength in ways that running doesn’t, which helps reduce injury and increase running efficiency.
How does practicing yoga help strengthen your core?
- Even runners require a strong core in order to support and assist their legs for long durations and sprints especially. Yoga is one of the most efficient and effective ways to build core strength. Best poses for strengthening the core are Warrior poses, Plank postures (high plank, forearm plank, side plank, etc.), and Navasana, aka Boat Pose.
How does yoga help to strengthen your hips?
- Yoga increases mobility and flexibility by stretching tight muscles (particularly your hips from running) to increase the range of motion in the joints.
Can practicing yoga improve your running form or make you get faster? In what ways?
- Two areas of the body benefit from practicing yoga – the hamstrings and the lower back. With tight hamstrings, they can cause problems for lots of runners and are the root of many running related injuries. With the content flexing and loosening of the hamstrings while running, the risk of injury like a hamstring tear is significantly increased. Yoga has a certain focus on lengthening the posterior chain (the back of the body) and helps relieve tension in the hips, glutes, hamstrings and lower back. With yoga classes, you can help with the lengthening of the hamstrings to give more during running, which can also help with the body’s form on the run with an increased stride.
Should you practice yoga before or after your run?
- For maximum benefits, I recommend doing yoga after each run, if possible.
What advice would you give to a runner who is too intimidated to try yoga?
- Go at it with an open mind!
- Beginners should be looking for something similar to a CorePower Yoga C1, where you have the opportunity to explore the postures and fundamental principles of vinyasa flow. These classes are unheated and have no added humidity. If you are already accustomed to heated classes, Hot Power Fusion is also a great one for beginners.
Learn more about CorePower Yoga online and find a location near you! Your first week of classes is free!
Do you practice yoga? How has it improved your running?
Right now I’m easing into yoga. For YEARS I said I was going to do it but this year I’m actually committed to getting into a yoga routine. Right now I do it on Fridays after work and I absolutely love it! Eventually I’ll add on another day, but baby steps…lol
I absolutely love Core Power and try to get there once a week. Always glad when I do feels fabulous after a long run
I’ve been practicing yoga for many years. I think it really improves almost every area of your life!
I like to practice daily — but very short (5, 10 minutes) — doesn’t always happen though.
You know I love my yoga! I consider it running’s best friend. I’ve never been to Core Power, altho there is a studio nearby!
This looks like a great workout and class! Such a fun option!
I’ve been working on including more yoga into my routine. I don’t think I’d ever become a full on yogi but I do notice the benefits when I practice.
I try to do yoga at least once a week. I wish I had more time to do it more often. The only downside to yoga is that I feel it takes an hour or longer to actually get in a good flexibility workout. Sometimes I just don’t have that much time. My favorite yoga exercises are anything to works the hips as that is where I am always really tight from running, strength training, and being on my feet all day.
Love love love CPY! They are my people! Yoga transformed my running, I swear by it!
I go in and out of doing yoga, but I always feel awesome when I’m in it!
I like doing yoga the day or two after a long run. I feel like it really helps keep me nimble and work out the kinks!
I practice yoga, but not consistently (my bad). I’m about to dive into 26.2 training in a few weeks and plan to make yoga a crucial part of it. Thanks for the kick in the booty 😉
I was learning to like yoga when I went to my first CPY2 class and fell in love. I was going once a week for a while, but haven’t been able to fit it in that frequently lately. I like the HPF class too.
OK, I am not a yogi but I would definitely try this!
I agree that yoga is so great for runners! I try to do it at home a few times a week, but I really miss going to a studio. I have heard great things about CorePower Yoga!
I’m just getting back into my running routine after a low back injury which I believe happened as a result of a weak core. I’m planning on getting into Yoga to improve my core strength. You’ve just validated my decision. Thanks for the info! 🙂 Stopping over from the Sits Girls. 🙂
I don’t think there’s a CorePower in my town but I’d love to try it! I miss doing yoga. My gym only offers two classes a week and my schedule doesn’t allow me to go this semester. My body feels so much better when I do yoga on a regular basis.
I am currently training for my second half marathon and this time I have been incorporating more strength training and also yoga. I can really tell a difference!
Yoga is so super beneficial for everyone, including runners. When I’m on a regular yoga schedule my running and overall flexibility feel so much better. My kids have started loving yoga as well. My oldest and me practice Yoga with a few Yoga kids videos. Pinning and stumbling your post! Yoga for everyone!
This is awesome! I have been thinking about starting yoga and should just do it. I feel like it would help me so much!
Yoga has been such a game-changer for me…they often do have yoga for runners classes at various studios that are worth looking into 🙂
I used to do a Yoga for Runner’s class and it was so helpful. Right now, I am having a hard time fitting it all in!!
I particularly enjoyed the section about strengthening my core, I have been practicing the forearm plank, and I am seeing slight results, but I think I need to join a class